Keith Richardson, managing director retail sector at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said the retail figures were "welcome news, but it's too early to think that the tide is turning after a dismal first quarter".

Alex Marsh, managing director of Close Brothers Retail Finance, said its data indicated "a particular increase in sales in the furniture sector, which was driven by [Easter] Bank Holiday Monday shopping".

However, he added that inflationary pressures meant shoppers could struggle to buy big ticket items, such as white goods, without stores offering more credit.

Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, also urged caution, noting that the underlying three-month trend showed sales were up by just 0.3%.

"With the exception of the first three months of this year, that's the weakest trend rate since the third quarter of 2014," he said.

Analysis: Emma Simpson, business correspondent

April delivered a boost for retail. We've already had the British Retail Consortium's survey, which saw the strongest sales numbers for years. But the industry body put much of that rise down to the timing of Easter, which was later this year than last.

Shops tend to sell more stuff during the Easter break. The ONS's figures are seasonally adjusted, which means that the timing of Easter shouldn't have been a factor in its own survey this morning. It said warm weather helped deliver growth. The big question is whether this pace of spending can continue.

The squeeze on consumers is now on, with average real wages falling. And it's not getting any easier for retailers either as they deal with the consequences of the fall in the pound and how much of the associated extra costs they'll have to pass on to consumers.